This application claims the priority of Austrian utility model no. GM 298/2001, filed Apr. 17, 2001, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates, in general, to a stripping apparatus for a track maintenance machine, and more particularly to a stripping apparatus of a type having sweeping elements for stripping off ballast from ties of a track comprised of rails which are fastened to the ties.
Stripping apparatuses of this kind are known in connection with ballast ploughs, for example from British Pat. No. GB 2 241 271, and are designed in the shape of cylindrical sweeping brushes which rotate about a brush shaft, extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ties of the track, to sweep off ballast lying on top of the ties. Such sweeping brushes are especially suited for moving greater amounts of ballast while optimally profiling the ballast bed.
British Pat. No. GB 2 205 882 describes the arrangement of a small rotatable sweeping brush at a free end of a shoulder plough in order to shape also a lower end region of a ballast bed shoulder.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved stripping apparatus of the afore-described type, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to sweep off even relatively small amounts of ballast in a reliable manner and yet is simple in structure.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a stripping apparatus includes a supporting beam mounted for vertical adjustment on the machine frame; a plurality of elastic sweeping elements disposed in a substantially vertical position and having an upper end, wherein the sweeping elements are fastened at their upper ends to the supporting beam and arranged adjacent to one another in a sweeping plane; and two support rollers fastened to the supporting beam and intended for travelling on the rails of the track.
A stripping apparatus according to the invention is designed in a relatively simple fashion, and allows a displacement of ballast into an adjoining tie crib in a reliable way while at the same time rendering unnecessary a rotational movement of the sweeping elements which would not only complicate the structure but also cause increased wear and tear of the sweeping elements. Furthermore, the provision of the support rollers, which are connected to the supporting beam, ensures also a constant distance of the lower ends of the sweeping elements from the upper surface of the ties.